The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-10-10
Extracted IRON the Records Of the Archaic
Club.
BY PERcIVAL LESLIE. ]
CHAPTER FIRST.
THE SHIP OF WAR, AND THE DE-
PARTURE.

Having been appointed by the
first Lord Of the Admiralty to the
very respectable position of Chap
lain in the Royal Navy, the Envoy
the Reverend Straight Choker, after
tender and pathetic farewell to
the wife of his bosom, and the half
dozen evidencies of his matrimonial
adventure, set sail per steamer to
Panama, in the United States OF
Columbica, in which harbor lay the
ship to which he was assigned.
Having reached this place, he
without delay reported for duty on
board II. B. MS, ship of war,
the Blunderbuss commanded by that
doughty son of the sea Captain Sir
Tarbottle Birthstone, X. c. b. That
] evening after making the acquaint-
ance of his brother officers, he, re-
clining at lazy length in the Ward
Room, took full and critical view
of the after members of the ships
company, with the assistance of in
formation volunteered by loqua-
cious young officer who had for
sometime made the Chaplain pom
der deeply, as to how so small a
head, could so apparently easy hold
so long tongue.
The Captain, Sir Tarbottle, a fat,
dignifed and to all appearances self
satisfied parsonage, was one of those
INTERPRETATIONS individuals one so
often meets, into whose capacious
mouth good things are continually
flowing, although none are ever
known to come out. In the days
when commissions in the navy were
the prizes of Political lottery, he had
gathered sufficient influence to Sc
cure one, and by a dog-headed te-
nacity in his grip on the parchment,
and an unfagging aptness for the
performance of his duty he had
gradually risen, until at last for
fortunate act on the high seas, he
had been summoned to London, and
had risen from beneath II. B. MS.
sword a Knight Commander of the
Bath, and given the command of the
Blunderbuss. Just then come bran
new from the Clyde yards. His
ideas of self importance rose equally
with his official position until on
board his ship, it become a matter
of more difficulty and diplomatic
tappery to approach him, than it was
to touch elbows with the crown
holder in London. In fact his looks,
person and almost imperial poise
plainly said, II am Sir Oracle, when
open my mouth let no dog bark"
So much was the Reverend Choker
overwhelmed with the great persons
condescending reception when he
come on board, that involuntarily
the words of Cassius arose in his
mind, t'on what meat has this one
Caesar fed, that he has grown so
great?"
Here the Chaplain saw fit to note
the characteristics displayed by two
of the junior officers that had, had
direct bearing upon their appoint
ments in the Royal Navy. The
first was a scion or an old and lordly
house, and enjoyed the socially dis
tinguished though not euphonious
style of Baron Clam, Lord Chow
der. Some couple of years before
he entered the service, he had been
seized with an irresistible desire to
travel over the world, after doing so,
and towards the close of his trip, he
had settled down in little village
in the south of France, to recuperate
his over-taxed constitution. The
day of his arrival at this place
CHANGED to be that of the marriage
of one of the bellies of the village.
Being curious to witness the cere-
mony, and see the villagers in their
native, picturesque costume, he
went early to the church, and taking
pew near the altar, awaited the
coming of the nuptual procession.
In short time, preceded by a
chours of fresh young voices, &C
companied by the rich notes of the
grand old organ, the bridal party
entered the church, and sailing up
the main aisle took their position
directly in front of the venerable
Cure, who with saint-like patience,
stood ready to tie with all solemnity
of churchly sanction, the fatal knot.
The music ceased, and with it the
admiring and eritcizing hum
of the audience, and a silence like
that of the tomb settled like pail
over all. The bride turned slightly
pale--the father gazed anxiously
about, and the good Priest slowly
opened and closed his missal merry
ously, and some of the audience
gigged. What was the matter
unused the Baron, but on looking
around he saw, that that necessary
adjunct to the marriage-the groom
was missing.
After waiting a short time in vain,
a messenger was sent to ascertain
the cause of his absence, who, re-
turning speedily. announced to the
rapidly growing impatient father,
that the intended sonyin-law, would
not be forthcoming, as he was then
on his way to the next city to make
his answer to the charge of having